New terror outfit claims responsibility for Poonch attack

Video on social media says group attacked Army patrol, killing 9 soldiers

October 18, 2021 10:45 pm | Updated October 19, 2021 08:45 am IST - New Delhi

Security personnel stand guard near the encounter site at Nar Khas area of Mendhar in Poonch district on Monday.

Security personnel stand guard near the encounter site at Nar Khas area of Mendhar in Poonch district on Monday.

A new terrorist group on Monday released an eight-minute video about the ongoing encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch region along the Line of Control (LoC), in which nine soldiers have been killed so far.

In the video, the group calling itself the PAFF (People’s Anti Fascists Front) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Shared on multiple channels on Telegram App, the video features a man narrating the events around October 11 , the day the encounter started, in a Kashmiri dialect. The video claims that two unidentified terrorists tracked an Army patrol party for around 10 hours before ambushing their tent around dawn the next day (October 11).

The narrator in the video, who is identified as the leader of the strike team, says that they crossed “Chamrer Gali” around 4.30 p.m. The terrorists claim they took away a bag belonging to an army sepoy identified as Harjeet Singh, which carried a hand-written identity card, packet of instant noodles, wafers and a personal grooming kit.

Propaganda: Army

An Army source, however, termed the video as an “immature attempt at propaganda.” The source added that sepoy Harjeet Singh was alive and also in possession of his I-card.

Also read: The Resistance Front | Faceless killers in the Valley

“The video has no merit. Not notwithstanding that, we are getting things verified on the ground,” said the source.

 

Army has launched a massive search operation in the forest areas of Poonch and Rajouri to track down the terrorists involved in the killing of nine soldiers.

Those killed in the October 11 incident were identified as Jaswinder Singh, Mandeep Singh, Gajjan Singh, Saraj Singh and Vaisakh H. On October 14, the Army said the bodies of Subedar Ajay Singh and Naik Harendra Singh were recovered while Riflemen Vikram Singh Negi and Yogambar Singh were killed in another encounter.

On Monday, the Army tweeted that “General MM Naravane #COAS is on a two day visit to Jammu Region wherein GOC White Knight Corps will give an update on security situation and operational preparedness. #COAS will visit forward areas and interact with troops and commanders on ground.”

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